To be eligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics, a student shall meet the requirements of the National Junior College Athletic Association and Anne Arundel Community College.

 To be considered for NJCAA and AACC Eligibility:

  • Student-athlete must be a graduate of a state approved high school, home school, or have passed a state approved high school equivalency exam
  • Student-athlete must be enrolled in full-time status at the college prior to competition and certifying NJCAA eligibility using any combination of sessions (regular term, mini term, fast track term) within a term. Full-time enrollment is defined as 12 or more credit hours. A minimum of six (6) credit hours must begin before the end of the published regular season schedule of the student-athletes’ chosen sport.
  • Student-athlete must be enrolled full-time or part-time on the 18th calendar day (not to end on a weekend of federal holiday) of the beginning of the regular term as listed on the college academic calendar
  • Student-athlete must maintain full-time enrollment (min. 12 credits) for the duration of the semester(s) of the regular season.
    • Full Time Exceptions
      • Last Academic Term Full-Time Enrollment Exception
        • Student-athletes in their last academic term may participate while enrolled in the number of credit hours required to graduate. Once this one-time allowance is exhausted, the student-athlete must meet the full-time requirement of 12 or more credits.
      • Graduate Exception
        • A student-athlete who graduates with a degree from a NJCAA institution may participate in the term immediately following graduation and must be enrolled in a minimum of six (6) hours, provided enrollment is at the same institution from which they graduated. This is a one-time exception.
      • Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) Enrollment Exception
        • A student-athlete who is matriculated in a degree or certificate program that requires them to complete courses that are only offered at another institution, would be eligible to compete, provided the following are in place:
          • The student’s home institution has an established MOU with the host institution
          • The student is registered for a minimum of 12 credit hours between the home and host institution.
        • A request for an exception must be submitted to the NJCAA National Office and be approved prior to the student-athletes’ participation.  The following documents must be included:
          • Letter of request signed by the athletic director.
          • College transcript for the student-athlete
          • The class schedule with start and end dates for the term(s) in which the student-athlete will participate.
          • A copy of the up-to-date MOU with the host institution.
      • Certified NJCAA Student-Athlete with Disabilities Exception
        • An NJCAA Student-Athlete with disabilities may be eligible for reduced enrollment and accumulation requirements provided that the student-athlete notifies the member college of his/her disability prior to the beginning of the academic term AND the following regulations in this section are followed:
          • Enrollment: A student-athlete with disabilities may be considered full-time with enrollment in 6 to 11 credit hours per term, with the enrollment to be determined based on the institution’s academic authority evaluation.
          • A student-athlete who registers or enrolls in 12 or more credit hours must meet the standard academic requirements prior to participation.
  • Student-athlete must meet the requirements of NJCAA Academic Eligibility Grid
    • First Season Student-Athlete: The student has not yet competed in any intercollegiate sport at the varsity, JV, or club level at any institution.
      • To be eligible, the first season student-athlete must:
        • Meet the accumulation and GPA requirements outlined in the NJCAA Academic Eligibility Grid
          -OR-
        • Have passed 12 credits with a 2.0 GPA in the student-athlete’s previous full-time term
          -OR-
        • If the student-athlete does not meet either option listed previously, but would be eligible utilizing one of the academic exceptions from the 22-23 academic year:
          • Must apply for a hardship with the National Office (One-time exception for 2023-2024 academic year only)
    • Second Season Student-Athlete: The student-athlete has competed in one season of intercollegiate participation at any college or university.
      • To be eligible, the second season student-athlete must:
        • Must have earned 24 credits with a 2.0 GPA
          -AND-
        • Meet the accumulation and GPA requirements outlined in the NJCAA Academic Eligibility Grid
          -OR-
        • Pass 12 credits with a 2.0 GPA in the student-athlete’s previous full-time term
          -OR-
        • If the student-athlete does not meet either option listed previously, but would be eligible utilizing one of the academic exceptions from the 22-23 academic year:
          • Must apply for a hardship with the National Office
  • Eligibility is directly related to full-time terms previously attempted
    • A full-time term will be charged when enrollment extends beyond the 18th day OR a student-athlete participates in a contest prior to that date.
  • Summer Terms
    • SA’s enrolled full-time in the current 2023 summer term: the term will count as a full-time term. 
    • Summer 2024 moving forward will not count as full-time terms.
    • Summer sessions are not considered a full-time term, regardless of the number of credits attempted. Summer session credits can be utilized for accumulation towards eligibility.
  • Exceptions for 2023-24
      • One Previous Term of Full-Time College Enrollment Exception
        • On or before the 18th calendar day (not to end on a weekend or federal holiday) of the student-athletes second full-time college term must have accumulated 12 credits with a GPA of 1.75 or higher.
      • Total Hours Accumulation Exception
        • On or before the 18th calendar day (not to end on a weekend or a federal holiday) of the term the student-athlete wishes to participate in, a student athlete-must have accumulated passing credit hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher in a number equal or greater.
          • 36 total semester hours for a fall season or 48 total semester hours for a spring season
          • 54 quarter hours for a fall sport, 63 quarter hours for a winter sport, or 72 quarter hours for a spring sport.
      • First Participating Term Accumulation Exception
        • A student-athlete entering their first season of participation in a sport must have accumulated passing credit hours at a minimum of 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher, on or before the 18th calendar day (not to end on a weekend or a federal holiday)
      • Eighteen (18) Months Non-Full-Time Attendance Exception
        • A student-athlete who has not been enrolled in college in 12 or more credit hours for a period of 18 calendar months or more, who have not utilized the certified NJCAA Student-Athlete with disabilities exemption, shall be exempt from first season academic requirements during their first full-time term following non-attendance
  • Student-athlete must submit the following:
    • Official high school transcripts showing graduation OR provide GED documentation
      • Students who graduated from a home school program must provide additional documentation
      • Transcripts from international high schools must be
        • Translated into English
        • Must be from years nine and up
        • Be an acceptable proof of graduation as defined by the district, state, province, or other governing body
    • Official transcripts from all previously attended college(s)
    • Transfer tracking forms and waivers where applicable
    • Completed AACC Eligibility Compliance Forms
    • Government-issued photo identification (driver’s license/ID card/driver’s permit)
    • Documentation of a completed physical within the last 13 months
  • Student-athlete must attend an eligibility meeting with a member of the athletic department
  • The NJCAA allows two years of eligibility within a given sport governed by the NJCAA unless eligibility has previously been exhausted. Participation includes, but is not limited to, any amount of participation within an NJCAA regular season contest, club sport at a college or university, and/or a college or university athletic program.
  • NJCAA Eligibility Affidavit PDF

Get more information at NJCAA Eligibility or contact the AACC Athletics Office at 410-777-2300.